Container



sfigt. 13, 1932., F, WALTER 1,877,153

CONTAINER Filed April 23, 1928 26 IH' ||||il 20 7 HI" l {U INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 13, 1932 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE I GEORGE r. WALTER, or BROOKLYN, NEW Y RK, AssIGNoR 2110 AMERICAN CAN COM- IPANY, on NEW YORK, 1v. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JE sEY CONTAINER Application filed. April 23,

This invention relates in general to sifter top cans and more particularly to self-closing tops for such cans which are used for the packaging of talcum powder,.zinc stearate and like substances. i

Th principal object of my invention is the provision of an improved self-closingfsifter top having spring means and cooperating other parts which permit the movement of the sitter elements to sifting position in any direction from any desired point or the periphery of the container. This improved construction results in the obvious advantage and novelty that the container may be grasped by either hand at'any point, and the sifting elements may be moved to sitting position in any direction by the mere pressure of the thumb or other finger.

Another object of the-invention is the provision of a self-closing sitter top having a spring means which is of simple and inexpensive construction and is adapted to be assembled to its support without any additional fastening means, without any piercing of its support, and without the employment of any special tools.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of aself-closing sifter top com-1 prising parts which are simple and inexpensive and which only require a small number of stamping and punching operations.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood fromthe following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a' preferred embodiment thereof. i

Referring to the drawing:. 1

Figure he an elevation of a container embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation showing the overcap movedeccentrically of the undercap to a sifting position; I

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the several parts of my. sifter top showing these parts in unassembled superposed relationship;

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical section through the assembled sitter top, and i Fig. 5 is a top plan View showing in full lines the position .ofthe overcap as shown- 1928. serial No. 271,994.

in Fig. 2, and showing by broken dotted lines some'of the various other positions which the overcap mayassume relative to the under cap. I

The sitter top container shown in the drawing comprises a cylindrical body 11 which may be of sheet metal 'or fibre, and a metal bottom end 12 seamed or crimped or otherwise permanently secured thereto. An.

annular stop and reinforcing bead 13 is provided a distance below, the top edge of the container, and above the bead 13 the container is formed into a slip joint seat 14 for connection with the sifter top. The sitter top comprises in general a washer plate 15, an undercap member 16, a spring means or collar. spr1ng17, an overcap member 18 and a rivet 19. V I

The undercap member 16 comprises a vertical cylindrical wall 20, of such diameter that it will fit snugly over the body Wall part 14 and make a frictional slipjoint therewith, a horizontal annular ledge 21 and a central raised part comprising a vertical wall 22 and a flat top 28 having a central pouring opening 24. y i The spring means orccollar spring 17 consists of a circular collar or vertical band I 7 having a series of integral spring arms or leaves 25 struck out from the material of the collar. These arms 25 are spaced apart an equal distance from eachgother, are pressed outwardly at an acute angle to the collar and have their extremities slightly bent inwardly to provide flat contact points for engagement with the inner surface lot the vertical wall 26 of the overcap 18.

-The overcap 18 comprises a vertical wall or v depending skirt portion 26, a flat top 27 hav ing sifter openings 28 arranged in'a circle. and acentrally located square rivet hole 29. The diameter of the overcap member 18 is substantially'that of the outer diameter of the undercap member 16 and these two members are substantially concentric with'their longitudinal axis when the container is in closed or nonsifting position.

The washer plate 15 is merely a means,

typical of any suitable connection, for holdmg the. overcap from moving up from the undercap and leaving the tormer tree tor horizontal movement and it consists ot a flat disk engaging under the part 23 and having a series of sitter openings 30 arranged in a circle, these sitter openings being arranged in vertical registration with the sitter openings 28 ot the overcap member 18. The washer plate 15 also has a square rivet hole 31 corresponding with the rivet hole 29 ot the overcap.

Fig. 3 shows all the parts which make up the whole sitter top in unassembled and superposed relationship. When all these parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 4, that is, when the square shank 32 ot the rivet 19 has been passed through the square rivet holes 29 and 81 and its lower end upset against the lower surface of the washer plate 15, the sitter holes 28 ot the overcap 18 and the sitter holes 30 ot the washer plate 15 are in permanent vertical alignment, but may be closed by the intervening flat top 23 ot the central raised part ot the undercap 16, They are thus sealed only when the sitter elements, that is the overcap 18 and washer plate 15, are in' normal or non-sitting position relative to the undercap 16, and at this time the flat top 23 is the sealing member since the circular pouring opening 24: is ot less diameter than the circle termed by the sitter openings 28 and 30.

The diameter of the collar spring 17 i slightly greater than the diameter of the vertical wall 22 ot the central raised part of the undercap 16, and the collar 17 is thus adapted to fit over the outer surtace ot the vertical wall 22 and is supported by the wall 22 and the ledge 21, and no additional fastening means are necessary. The collar spring 17, when all the parts are tully assembled, is thus housed within the space defined by the two vertical walls 22 and 26. The spring arms or leaves 25 all normally extend outwardly from the collar part of the spring 17 an equal distance so as to make contact with the inner surtace ot the wall 26 ot the overcap 18 and make the overcap coaxial with the container body when the device is not being used.

When it is desired to sift out the contents ot the container, a slight pressure against the part 26 ot the overcap 1.8 by the thumb or other finger of either hand will shitt the overcap 18 together with its washer plate 15 eceentrically ot the undercap 16 and two or more of the spring leaves 25 will be contracted between the parts 22 and 26 and some of the permanently alinged sitter openings 28 and 30 will escape the intervening flat top 23 and come within the circular field ot the pouring opening 24 and the contents will thus find a passage to the outside. This shitting position is illustrated in full lines in Figs. 2 and 5 ot the drawing. I

The sitting of the powder may occur when the overcap is moved sufliciently trom its normal position in any direction, as shown in Fig. 5. As soon pressure on the ove cap is released, the spring arms or leaves 25, which were contracted during the sitting operation, will expand to their original position and by pressure against the inside ot the wall part 26 ot the overcap 18 will return the overcap together with the washer plate 15 to concentric or closed position.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be uncerstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement ot the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the term hereinbetore described being merely a preterred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A selt-closing sitter top for containers comprising an undercap member having an opening, an overcap member having sitter openings registrable with the opening of the undercap when in sitting'position, a washer plate on the inside of said undercap and having sitter openings corresponding with those in the overcap, a collar spring having integral spring leaves between said overcap member and said undercap member and adapted to resist yieldingly the shitting in any direction of said overcap member to sitting position and to return the same to closed position, and a rivet connecting said members and said plate.

2. A self-closing sitter top tor containers comprising an undercap member having an opening, an overcap member slidable horiz'ontally in any direction relative tothe undercap member and having sitter openings normally out of registry with the opening in said undercap member, and spring means interposed between said members and adapted to yieldingly resist the shitting sidewise in any direction of said overcap member to sit*- ing position and to return the same to closed position.

3. A self-closing sitter top for containers comprising an undercap member having a discharge opening, an overcap member having sitter openings and horizontally slidable on said undercap, and a circular spring member interposed between said undercap and overcap and having arms extending in various directions engaging the overcap member and adapted to resist the shitting in any horizontal direction of said overcap member to sitting position and to return the same to closed position and thereby yieldingly center the overcap member on the undercap member. 7

4. A self-closing sitter top tor containers comprising an undercap member having an opening, an overcap member having sitter openings and slidable horizontally on said undercap member, a collar spring embracing a portion of said undercap member and having a series of integral spring arms engaging the overcap member and adapted to return the overcap member to closed position after a sitting operation and thereby yieldingly center the overcap member on the undercap member.

5. A sitter top for containers comprising an undercapme-mber having a central raised part and an opening, an overcap member having sitter openings, a collar spring interposed between said undercap and overcap and encircling said raised part and engaging the overcap member and adapted to resist the shitting in any direction sidewise relative to the container of said overcap member to sitting position and to return said overcap member to closed position and thereby yieldingly center the overcap member on the undercap member.

6. A sitter top tor containers, comprising a fixed undercap member having a discharge opening a movable overcap member normally concentric with said fixed member and movable sidewise relative thereto and provided with sitter openings normally out of line with said discharge opening, and spring means interposed between said members and engaging the overcap member and adapted to resist the sidewise movement to sitting position of said overcap member in any direction relative to said undercap and causing its antomatic return to concentric position and thereby yieldingly center the overcap member on the undercap member.

7. A selt-closing sitter top tor containers comprising an undercap member having a discharge opening, an overcap member slidable sidewise on the .undercap member and having sitter openings, a spring means interposed between said members and engaging the overcap member and adapted to yieldably resist the shitting in any direction of said overcap member to sitting position and to return the same to closed position and thereby yieldingly center the overcap member on the undercap member, and means for holding in assembled relation said members and said spring means.

8. In a sitter top for containers, an undercap engageable with the end of a container to cove-r the same and having a raised part provided with a discharge opening, an overcap having a flange arranged around said raised part and provided with sitter openings which are arranged around said dispensing opening and normally closed by said raised part, a spring means yieldably holding the overcap in said position, and means movably connecting the overcap with the underca-p, whereby the overcap may be pressed sidewise to cause a sitting opening to coincide with the discharge opening, the overcap being returned to normal position by said spring means.

9. Ina sitter top tor containers, an undercap engageable with the end of a container to cover the same and having a raised part provided with a discharge opening, an overcap having a flange arranged around said raised part and provided with sitter openings which are arranged aroundsaid dispensing opening and normally closed by said raised part, spring means yieldably holding the overcap in said position, means movably connecting the overcap with the undercap, whereby the overcap may be pressed sidewise to cause a sitting opening to coincide with the discharge opening, the overcap being returned to normal position by said spring means and being of substantially the same diameter as the container and normally in line therewith.

10. In a sitter top for containers, an undercap engageable with the end of a container to cover the same and havlng a raised part provlded with a discharge opening, an overcap having a flange arranged around said raised part and provided with sitter openings which are arranged around said dispensing opening and normally closed by said raised part, spring means yieldably holding the overcap in said position, and a washer plate larger than said discharge opening and connected with the overcap and having sitter openings communicable with those of the overcap and engaging under a part ot the undercap, whereby the overcap may be pressed sidewise to cause a sitting opening to coincide with the discharge opening, the overcap being returned to normal position by said spring means.

11. A self-closing sitter top for containers, comprising an undercap, an overcap movable radially in various angular directions relative to the undercap, said caps having discharge openings which register for the discharge of material from the container when the over cap is moved to a position eccentric relative to the undercap, means for movably holding said caps together, means for closing the discharge openings when said caps are alined. and spring means engaging said caps and which hold the overcap yieldingly in said alined position.

12. A self-closing sitter top for containers, comprising a perforated cap to be attached to a container body, a sitter cap having openings and laterally reciprocable in various directions at various angles relative to the first mentioned cap, spring means for returning the sitter cap to normal non-sitting position, and means for movably connecting said caps, the first cap having means for closing the sifting openings of the sitter cap when the latter is in said normal position.

I 13. A sitter top having in combination a cap having a top plate provided with a central opening, and an overcap radially movable on said top plate in various directions and formed With sitter openings arranged around A said central opening and normally closed by said top plate, means for movably securing the caps, and yielding means between the caps, whereby the movement of the overcap in any direction Will cause some of said sitter openings to register With said central opening.

GEORGE F. WALTER. 

